The Daughter of Anderson Crow eBook

“Got any track of ’em?” asked George
Ray one evening, stopping at Anderson’s back
gate to watch the marshal unhitch his thankful nag.
Patience had ceased to be a virtue with George.

“Any track of who?” asked Mr. Crow with
a fine show of innocence.

“The robbers.”

“I ain’t been trackin’ robbers,
George.”

“What in thunder have you been trackin’
all over the country every day, then?”

“I’m breakin’ this colt,”
calmly replied the marshal, with a mighty wink at
old Betty, whom he had driven to the same buckboard
for twenty years. As George departed with an
insulted snort, Andrew Gregory came from the barn,
where he had been awaiting the return of Mr. Crow.”

“I’m next to something big,” he
announced in a low tone, first looking in all directions
to see that no one was listening.

“Gosh! Did you land Mr. Farnsworth?”

“It has nothing to do with insurance,”
hastily explained the agent. “I’ve
heard something of vast importance to you.”

“You don’t mean to say the troupe has
busted?”

“No—­no; it is in connection with—­with—­”
and here Mr. Gregory leaned forward and whispered
something in Anderson’s ear. Mr. Crow promptly
stopped dead still in his tracks, his eyes bulging.
Betty, who was being led to the water trough, being
blind and having no command to halt, proceeded to
bump forcibly against her master’s frame.

CHAPTER XXXI

“As You Like It”

“You—­don’t—­say—­so!
Whoa! dang ye! Cain’t you see where you’re
goin’, you old rip?” Betty was jerked
to a standstill. “What have you heerd?”
asked Anderson, his voice shaking with interest.

“I can’t tell you out here,” said
the other cautiously. “Put up the nag and
then meet me in the pasture out there. We can
sit down and talk and not be overheard.”

“I won’t be a minute. Here, you Roscoe!
Feed Betty and water her first. Step lively,
now. Tell your ma we’ll be in to supper
when we git good an’ ready.”

Anderson and Andrew Gregory strode through the pasture
gate and far out into the green meadow. Once
entirely out of hearing, Gregory stopped and both
sat down upon a little hillock. The agent was
evidently suppressing considerable excitement.

“Those train robbers are in this neighbourhood,”
he said, breaking a long silence. Anderson looked
behind involuntarily. “I don’t mean
that they are in this pasture, Mr. Crow. You’ve
been a good friend to me, and I’m inclined to
share the secret with you. If we go together,
we may divide the ten-thousand-dollar reward, because
I’m quite sure we can land those chaps.”

“What’s your plan?” asked Anderson,
turning a little pale at the thought. Before
going any further into the matter, Gregory asked Anderson
if he would sign a paper agreeing to divide the reward
equally with him. This point was easily settled,
and then the insurance man unfolded his secret.